1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to board games, and more particularly to games in which playing pieces move over the board and are removed as the game progresses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Board games have long been played for entertainment. The game of checkers is one of the best known examples. In checkers, each of two players alternatingly move their pieces, one piece per move. The object of checkers is to remove or trap the opponent""s playing pieces.
Although checkers has provided considerable entertainment over the years, the game playing public periodically yearns for new forms of entertainment, but clings to traditional game formats. Therefore, variations on the traditional game of checkers have been proposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,509,678, issued to John F. McPherson et al. on Sep. 23, 1924, shows a board game generally similar to checkers, wherein pieces are moved from node to node on a grid printed on the board. Game layout and number and move options of individual playing pieces of McPherson et al. vary significantly from those of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,525,944, issued to Anthony Marteka on Feb. 10, 1925, shows a board game wherein the object of the game is removal of one""s own pieces. However, Marteka uses a device of chance to influence a player""s move options. By contrast, the player of the present invention has full discretion within prescribed limits of moves of each piece to influence his or her own move.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 486,471, issued to Abram C. Hunsberger on Nov. 22, 1892, and 1,152,360, issued to Carlos Eduardo Tejera on Aug. 31, 1915, each show a fanciful variation of the conventional game of checkers. Game apparatus and moves differ from those of the present invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention provides a variation on checkers style games, but obliges players to adopt strategies opposite those of conventional checkers style games, and to master new strategies. A notable example of departure from conventional strategies is that the goal of the game for each player is to achieve removal of one""s playing pieces by forcing the opponent to jump one""s own pieces.
A second departure from conventional practice is that pieces are promoted to those able to move backwardly, taken with regard to the initial permitted direction of moves, when they reach a point on the board short of the last row. A further example is that while jumps are generally mandatory players have the option of accepting a penalty in place of making an otherwise mandatory jump. Still another example is that a certain situation wherein only two opposing pieces remain on the board, which situation would result in a draw in conventional checkers, gives victory to one specified player. Yet another example is the requirement that the opponent whose pieces have prevented the other player from making a move must, at his or her next turn, make a move which removes obstruction from a piece of the immobilized player""s pieces.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a game generally similar to checkers, which game features strategies varied from those of checkers and other like games.
This and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.